Manufacture of stubs for mouthpiece cigarettes



Dec. 19, 1961 F. PococK 3,013,659

MANUFACTURE OF STUBS FOR MOUTHPIECE CIGAEETTES Filed June 17, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 1 57 man, M MMQM A T TORNE Y5 Dec. 19, 1961 F. POCOCK3,013,659

MANUFACTURE OF STUBS FOR MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Filed June 17, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 2 9 2 24 5 2 rr'n H 5 27 I 20 j w VEN TOR 0 Q WM BY WM, M,il v n A TTORNE 7 Dec. 19, 1961 Filed June 17, 1958 km Y F. POCOCKMANUFACTURE OF STUBS FOR MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 43 41REFE/eEA/ci REUMTED 41/2 PRESSURE SUPPLY 051A Y UNIT lNVE/VTOR ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent This invention concerns improvements in or relatingto the manufacture of stubs for mouthpiece cigarettes-for example, stubsmade of filtering material.

Stubs for mouthpiece cigarettes are often made by forming 'a continuousrod of stub material and cutting the rod into suitable lengths. It isfound that the crosssectional size of such a rod sometimes varies alongits length, with the result that the stubs vary in cross-sectional size.It is important that a composite mouthpiece cigarette should consist ofa cigarette length and -a stub of substantially identical diameter. Thisis necessary in order to make it possible to unite a stub and acigarette length, for example, by a uniting hand, without leaving gapsbetween the band and the stub or cigarette length, through'which gapsair might be able to flow. Accordingly stubs-are sometimes graded as todiameter and sorted into different sizes for use with cigarette lengthsof appropriate sizes.

According to the present invention there is provided, for use with amachine for makingstubs by a continuous rod process, a grading orsorting device comprising a measuring device to measure the rod, andmeans responsive to said measuring device to grade the stubs accordingto their cross-sectional size. For example the last said means maycomprise a movable guide for stubs, which guide is movable in responseto the measuring device so as to guide stubs of differentcross-sectional size into different paths.

Preferably the measuring device is one similar to the device describedand illustrated in the United States Patent No. 2,952,262, grantedSeptember 13, 1960 to Pocock et al. which is co-pending, for measuringthe cross-sectional size of a continuous cigarette rod. In that Idevice, the rod is passed through a chamber into which air is introducedunder pressure and from which the air escapes through apertures whichare partially blocked by the rod, so that the air pressure in thechamber varies according to the rate 'at which the air can escape, andthus gives an indication of the cross-sectional size of the part of therod which is passing through the chamber. Such variations in pressurecause movement of a diaphragm exposed to the air in the chamber, andthese movements can be utilised to effect an electric circuit, whereby,in the present case, the means to grade the stubs may be energized. Forexample one or the other of a pair of solenoids may be energized tocause movement of a movable guide member for the stubs. The guide membermay be pivotally mounted and arranged to guide the stubs lengthwise inone of three difierent paths-that is, it may occupy a central or neutralposition, in which it guides the stubs in a certain path when theircrosssectional size (as detected by the measuring device) is withincertain limits, and it may be swung by means of one solenoid or theother so as to deflect stubs into one of two further paths when thecross-sectional size of such stubs is found to be above or below thesaid limits.

A device in accordance with the invention will now be described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a grading or sorting device;

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FIGURE 2 is an end view taken on the line II, FIG- FIGURE 3 is a plan,and

FIGURE 4 shows schematically an arrangemen't'incorporating a measuringdevice and its connections with the grading device.

In the drawings a conveyor 1 represents the conveyor by which lengths ofstub rod (for example sextuple lengths such as are commonly used) arecarried lengthwise from the cut-off device of the stub-making machine.It is to be understood that the machine is equipped with a measuringdevice such as that disclosed in the co-pending United States patentaforementioned, and that this measuring device is positioned to measurethe continuous rod before the latter reaches the cut-off.

The grading or sorting device comprises a pair of 0pposed guide walls 2,with flared extensions 3, and connected by bridges 4 and 5. It ispivoted at 6 by means of the bridge 4 on the underside of a block 7secured to a bar 8, one end of which is secured by screws 9 to a bracket10. The bracket 10 is fixed by bolts 11 to any convenient fixed part 12of the machine. The guide member 2 can be swung on its pivot in eitherdirection; in

FIGURE 3 it is shown in dot-and-dash line in the sition it occupies whenswung in one direction.

The band 1 passes over a roller 13, just beyond the end of the guidemember 2. Beyond the band 1 is a further roller 14 about which passthree endless conveyor bands 15, 16 and 17, FIGURE 3. When the guidemember 2 is in its intermediate position parallel with the band 1, itregisters with the central band 16. When it is swung to the positionshown in dot-and-dash line, it registers with the conveyor band 17, andsimilarly if it is swung in the opposite direction it will register withthe band 15.

Springs 18 and 19 fixed to the guide member 2 and to extensions of thebar 8 tend to keep the guide member centralised and to return it to itscentral position.

The guide member 2 is connected by links 20 and 21 to plungers 22 and 23of a pair of solenoids 24 and 25 respectively. These solenoids areconnected by wires 26 and 27 (FIGURE 2) to an electrical device by whichone or other of the solenoids may be energised. As has been statedabove, the grading device accordingto the present invention may be usedwith a measuring device such as that described in the co-pending UnitedStates patent aforementioned. In that device, variations in the airpressure in the measuring chamber due to variations in cross-sectionalsize of the continuous rod being measured (in the present case, a rod ofstub material) cause movement of a diaphragm in one direction or theother. If the movement of the diaphragm in either direction is largeenough, a contact element connected to the diaphragm will contact one ofa pair of fixed contact elements positioned on either side of it. Thethree contact elements are connected by wires to the electrical devicementioned above, which is in turn connected by the wires 26 and 27 tothe solenoids 24 and 25. The arrangement is such that contact betweentwo of the three contact elements in the measuring device (indicatingthat the cross-sectional size of the rod momentarily passing through themeasuring device is greater or lower than a predetermined range)establishes an electric circuit whereby one or other of the solenoids 24and 25 is energised so that its plunger 22 or 23 pulls the guide member2 about its pivot in one direction or the other.

It will be seen that as long as neither of the two solenoids isenergized, stubs passing through the guide member 2 will be guided on tothe central conveyor band 16. If it is swung anti-clockwise as viewed inFIGURE 3, to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in that figure,the stubs will be guided on to the band 17, while if it is swungclockwise they will be guided on to the band 15,

Since the swinging of the guide member 2 is effected by the solenoids inresponse to the rod measuring operation, it will be seen that the stubswill be directed on tothe conveyor bands 15, 16 and 17 according to thecrosssectional size of the rod as detected by the measuring device.

If desired, the electrical device could incorporate a a delay unit ofany suitable known kind whereby a solenoid would be energised only aftera suitable delay such that the resulting deflection of stubs by theguide member affects only those stubs which formed that part of the rodwhose measurement caused the actuation of the electrical device. On theother hand it may be unnecessary to incorporate such a delay unit, sincein the manufacture of the stub rod, variations in cross-sectional sizeof the rod are often of a long-term nature, and direct energising of thesolenoids is probably sufficiently accurate for the purpose of gradingor sorting the stubs into sizes.

The stubs received on the three conveyor bands 15, 16 and 17 may beconveyed into separate receptacles so as to be available for use withcigarettes of appropriate sizes.

FIGURE 4 shows diagrammatically a suitable arrangement incorporating ameasuring device as disclosed in FIGURES -8 of the aforementioned UnitedStates patent, the connections between this measuring device and thegrading or sorting device described above being schematically. Forsimplicity the measuring device, generally indicated by the referencenumeral 41, is shown as comprising two compartments 42 and 43 atopposite sides of a diaphragm 44, the compartment 42 communicating withorifices 45 and 45a of a tubular passage 46 through which a rod 47 ofplug material continuously passes in the direction shown by the arrow.Air under suitable prasure is supplied to the compartments 42 and 43respectively as shown. Two electrical contacts 48 and 49 are located atopposite sides of the diaphragm 44, which itself comprises a thirdcontact. The contacts 43 and 49 are shown connected through a delay unitand a relay to the grading or sorting device. The plug rod 47 passesfrom the measuring device to a cut-01f device 52 which serves it atsuitable intervals, and the resul"- ing plug lengths are carried by theconveyor 1 (which is not shown in FIGURE 4) through the guide member 2.

The details of construction and operation of the measuring device 41 aregiven in the specification referred to above and need not be given here.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with a stub making machine in which a continuous rod of stubmaterial is formed and cut into stubs, a measuring and grading devicecomprising in combination a measuring chamber through which thecontinuous rod passes, and into which air is introduced under pressure,said chamber having an escape aperture for air which aperture is partlyblocked by the continuous rod, whereby the air pressure in the chambervaries according to the cross-sectional size of the rod pasing throughsaid aperture, a movable member exposed to the air in the chamber andmovable in response to variations in said air pressure, guide means forstubs cut from the continuous rod, and means responsive to movements ofsaid movable member to actuate the said guide means to cause the latterto guide stubs of different cross-sectional size into different paths.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said guide is movablefrom a neutral position which it occupies when the cross-sectional sizeof stubs is found to be within desired limits, to one of two otherpositions when the cross-sectional size of stubs is found to be above orbelow said limits.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means responsive to themeasuring device comprises at least one solenoid arranged to beenergised in response to the measuring device so as to cause movement ofthe said guide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,391,195 Ladd Sept. 20, 1921 1,623,352 Madden et a1 Apr. 5, 19271,935,086 Foster Nov. 14, 1933 2,033,645 Parkhill Mar. 10, 19362,068,797 Gray Jan. 26, 1937 2,194,325 Rhea Mar. 19, 1940 2,306,211Geiss Dec. 22, 1942 2,357,801 Arelt Sept. 12, 1944 2,593,958 Aller Apr.22, 1952 2,952,262 Pocock et al Sept. 13, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No.336,307, Dichter (A.P.C.), published May 18, 1943.

